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5 things to do with your kids in York this spring


So, it’s not quite time to pack away the textbooks and head for the beach. Sorry, kids.

But there’s still plenty of family fun to be had right here in York while you wait.

As we count down the days until summer – only 10 more weeks to go! – here are some fun activities to enjoy with your kids throughout spring.

Escape from Mojo’s Museum

By now, you’ve most likely heard of the escape room phenomenon – the fun, new way for adults to play detective by finding clues and solving puzzles to escape from a locked room in under an hour.

Thanks to a room designed just for 8- to 13-year-olds at Escape Games Live in York, kids can now take part in the fun, too. Participating children will have one hour to work together to solve a series of seven puzzles in an effort to escape from Professor Mojo, a fictional character who is trying to entrap children in escape rooms throughout the world. This escape room has the look of a circus and the experience of an interactive science museum, according to Escape Games Live special events manager Tom Hopkins. Don’t forget to look out for a big, dramatic finish at the end.

Details: Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, starting April 9 at Escape Games Live, 147 W. Philadelphia St., York. Cost is $140 for up to eight players. Visit www.escapegameslive.com for more information.

Become a preschool chef

Who says preschoolers are too young to learn their way around the kitchen? On the third Tuesday of every month, toddlers can learn about nutrition, measuring, mixing and how to follow a basic recipe at a new series of cooking classes, just for kids. York Kids Cooking instructor Kelly Wilson said the goal is to let kids be creative and explore new healthy foods.

This month’s spring-themed class, held April 19, will teach child chefs how to measure, mix and create treats for birds. They’ll learn about what birds eat and decorate birdie bags to carry their treats home.

Details: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at Central Market, 34 W. Philadelphia St., York. Students must be between ages 2 and 5. Cost is $7 per child. Visit www.healthyhandscooking.com/instructor/kelly-wilson for more information.

Additional culinary crafts for kids are held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on select Saturdays at Central Market.  Visit yorkitchen.com for a complete schedule.

Go Green at the WITF Kid’s Zone

You can’t go wrong with a downtown York street fair, especially when it’s full of activities just for kids. While the adults shop for artisan crafts, green products and upcycled and vintage items from more than 75 vendors at Go Green in the City, children can find their way through a hay-bale maze, pet a mini horse and mini donkey at a petting zoo and participate in kid-friendly tours and events in the York Heritage Trust’s Colonial Complex. The event also includes live music, yoga and food trucks.

Details: 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 23 at the unit block of North Beaver Street, North Pershing Avenue and Clarke Avenue. Visit www.downtownyorkpa.com/gogreen.

Take a downtown walking tour

Taking a walk with the family is always a fun springtime activity. But starting May 14, children can do more than walk during Downtown Inc.’s new series of interactive walking tours. The three-hour tour of downtown York will include stops at York City Pretzel Company, YorKitchen, Creative York and Sunrise Soap Company, where kids will make unique items that they can play with, eat or take home. Examples include a personal pizza at YorKitchen or bath fizzies at Sunrise Soap Company.

Details: 1 p.m. May 14 at Central Market, 34 W. Philadelphia St., York. Tickets are $20 per child and free for parents. Visit www.downtownyorkpa.com/kidstour for more information.

Go to a Revs game

Baseball season is officially here. Take the kids to PeoplesBank Stadium for a York Revolution game, some snacks and – if it’s a Saturday – some fireworks, too. Plus, Stauffer’s Playground area is filled with play sets, a carousel and an inflatable slide for kids who can’t sit through the entire game. Some good games to attend this spring include Princess Day, May 29, and Super Hero Day, June 19.

Details: Sign your children up for the Rookie Revs kids’ club and receive playground admission, behind-the-scenes tours, six field box ticket vouchers, autograph sessions and more for $27. Visit www.yorkrevolution.com for more information.